Needs & Wants

Black Friday, Cyper Monday … in the midst of this annual December consumerism spectacle, the PEPELT Team decided to make Needs & Wants our theme for December 2019. We wanted to create a month where we could share picturebooks which would offer moments for children to reflect on their needs and wants and consider families with children struggling to make ends meet, depending on charities and food-banks. Watch our videos for teaching ideas

Peritextual features
Front cover: Identifying the main character; Making connections between the cover and the following narrative sequence e.g. Publicity board and sneakers

Teacher education
Adapting readymade non EFL resources for the PELT classroom.

Teaching Children Philosophy: Those Shoes

ALA

Candlewick Publisher

Multiliteracies
Nature: identifying seasons
Emotional: empathising with the main character
Cultural: identifying aspects of urban life in US; recognising differences between American and British English
Consumer & financial: Becoming aware of the power of advertising; differentiating between needs and wants; creating a billboard

UNICEF

Notes from the classroom
Understanding differences between needs and wants;
Making a jar of happiness;
Understanding happiness as a key to confidence.

Additional Suggestions

Below you will find some more recommendations linked to the theme of Needs & Wants. We have indicated if we think the picturebook is suitable for Younger Primary Learners [YPL], Older Primary Learners [OPL] or All Primary Learners [APL]. We have also linked suitable teaching resources.